Apparatus for melting rubberized bituminous compositions



A. M. ROOT, JR APPARATUS FOR MELTING RUBBERIZED BITUMINOUS COMPOSITIONS Nov. 7, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 9, 1947 INVENTOR 35 /?7//UA 4% P007 J? ATTORNEY A. M. ROOT, JR APPARATUS FOR MELTING RUBBERIZED BITUMINOUS COMPOSITIONS Nov. 7, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 9, 1947 I. Illlfllll L I! I I INVENTOR 467/102 M a JE.

' ATTORNEY Nov. 7, 1950 A. M. ROOT, JR 2,523,975

APPARATUS FOR MELTING RUBBERIZED BITUMINOUS COMPOSITIONS 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 9, 1947 INVENTOR 42mm? 02 007 ATTORNEY Nov. 7, 1950 A. M. ROOT, JR 2,528,975

APPARATUS FOR MEL-TING RUBBERIZED BITUMINOUS COMPOSITIONS Filed Sept. 9, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR Aer/Ive M K907- ft.

ATTO R N EY Patented Nov. 7, 1950 APPARATUS FOR MELTING RUBBERIZED BITUMINOUS COMPOSITIONS Arthur M. Root, Jr., Rutherford, N. J., assignor to The Patent and Licensing Corporation, New I York, N. Y., a corporation of Massachusetts Application September 9, 1947, Serial No. 772,961

This invention relates to a heating device for heating and melting normall solid thermoplastic materials. Although not necessarily confined thereto, the invention is particularly concerned with a device for heating rubberized bituminous compounds, particularly of the types employed for sealing the joints in concrete.

In the construction of concrete runways of airports and concrete highways, the joints between concrete sections are provided with filler strips serving as expansion and contraction joints, and a sealing compound is applied over the filler strip in order that the joint shall be effectively sealed against infiltration of moisture. For that purpose, it is necessary that the joint sealing compound be resilient and sufiiciently adhesive with respect to the concrete so that there will be no failure of the bond between the sealer and the concrete during cycles of expansion and contraction under the atmospheric conditions encountered in service. The compounds that have been developed for that purpose accordingl comprise mixtures of bituminous materials and rubber, the rubberconstituting generally about to by weight of the compound, and being blended with the bitumen While the latteris maintained in a fluid molten condition. These compounds are relatively solid at normal atmospheric temperatures and hence must be heated to relatively high temperatures of the order of 450 to 500 F., to bring them to a state of fluidity such as to'enable them to be poured into the joints properly. Usually the pour point, i. e., the temperature at which the material will pour readily and uniformly, is from 410 to 420 F. However, if in heating a batch f the material to reduce it to pourable consistency, any portion of it is permitted to exceed a temperature of about 450 F., the entire batch may be rendered unfit for use.

Because of the nature of these compounds, and owing particularly to the rubbery character thereof, it is exceedingly difiicult to reduce them to a suitable pouring consistenc without, at the same time, injuriously affecting the physical properties which the compound must posesss in order to meet service requirements. Further, in the construction of concrete highways and airport runways where relatively long distances are involved, it is desirable to have, for melting these 6 Claims. (Cl. 126--343.5)

place to place by hand. The known types of heating kettles and similar heating devices are unsatisfactory for melting these compounds in commercial scale operations either because the do not heat the compounds uniformly and the material is adversely affected as a result of local heating and melting rubberized bituminous comrubberized bituminous compounds, a heating depermit it to be easily and readily moved from positions of the character referred to at a rate which is adequate for practical use in the field application of this type of material and which will be capable of melting the compounds to pouring consistency without danger of injury to the physical properties thereof.

In accordance with the invention, there is provided a heating apparatus in which melting of rubberized bituminous compositions is efiected g.

by means of heat transferred indirectly by the vapors of a liquid material which is vaporizable at relatively low pressures to provide vapors at relatively high temperatures. A suitable material for the purpose of the invention is the liquid heat transfer medium well known as Dowtherm A, which comprises a mixture of 73.5% diphenyloxide and 26.5% diphenyl. This mixture boils at 500 F. at atmospheric pressure and is characterized by a high heat transfer coefficient as well as by the definite temperatures at which the vapors may be maintained.

A feature of the invention resides in the arrangement by which the heat contained in the vapor is transferred to the material to be melted. In the apparatus of the invention the compositions to be melted are contained in a relatively narrow chamber, the walls and bottom of which are maintained ata definite temperature by the vapors of the liquid heat transfer medium whereby an even heat is rapidly transferred tothe contents of the chamber. This arrangement with its resultant high heat transfer rate makes it possible to melt rubberized bituminous compositions of the character described at a rate corresponding to one-third the cubic Lcja'pac'ity of the melting chamber per hour of operation. Thus, a heating apparatus constructed according to my invention and havin a cubic capacity of approximatel 30 gallons will be capable of melting 3 rubberized bituminous compositions at a rate of at least gallons per hour.

Another feature of the invention resides in the construction of the heating chamber to provide a section for receiving only substantially completely melted material and to provide means for circulating material from this section through the remainder of the heating chamber whereby the material travels the length of the heating chamber before returning to the first-named section.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the more detailed description, which follows:

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section of a heating device embodying the invention, taken along line II of Fig. 4;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view, in elevation, of.

V interior of theheating device showing the disto the bottom I2.

EZbyplates 29, 30, 3I'and-32..

flue assembly comprises tubular flues 33, 34 and charge assembly.

'Referring to the drawings, the numeral i8 re-l fers' generally to a cylindrical tank comprising side wall I I and bottom I2 secured to the side wall I I as by welding and supported as by angle irons I3. Extending into tank Ill is a cylindrical chamber 54 for holding the material to be melted. This' chamber comprises a side wall I5 and bottom I6. A collar I! secured to the outer surface of Wall I5 and the inner surface of wall II seals the annular vapor space I8 therebetween and a jacket is thereby provided for wall I5. A cylin- 'drical vapor chamber I9 is formed by wall extending upwardly from bottom I2 through bottom I6 into chamber I4. A top 2| is welded to the inside of Wall 20 at its upper end. Cylindrical wall 23 forms with wall II an annular space 22 communicating with vapor space I8. Wall 2|] does not extend in its entirety to the bottom I2 but rather, as shown in Figs. l and 2, is cut away to the extent that only leg portions 23 are secured This arrangement permits ready insertion and withdrawal of the heating 'fiue hereinafter described, and also provides meansfor the liquid heat transfer medium, which is maintained in annularls'pace 22, to enter vapor space I9.

An inlet pipe 24 normally closed by threaded cap 25 is connected to wall II for charging desiredquantities of liquid heat transfer medium into annular space 22 and an outlet pipe 26 having a threaded plug 27 may be connected to bottom I2 to permit draining the liquid from the lower section ofthe tank I0.

'-The liquid heat transfer medium in the'tank is heated and vaporized by means of a suitable heating unit submerged in theliquid. This unit preferably comprises a flue assembly through .whiCh-hOt combustion gases froma gas or oil biirnenma'y be circulated. The flue assembly,

indicated generally by the, numeral. 28 is carried by curved plate 28a and sup ported on the bottom As shown, the

35 and end lines 36 and 31, the end fiues serving to join flue 33 to flue 34 and flue 35 to fl-ue 34, respectively. End flues 36 and 31 are boxlike in shape and are formed from rectangular plates, including end plates 29, 30, 3| and 32. A sleeve 38 is provided in flue 33 to protect it from the direct flame emitted from burner '39. The end of flue 35 which extends outside tank I0 is sealed by circular plate 40 and an opening M is provided in the underside of flue 35 to permit the exit of the combustion gases. Flues 33 and 35 are secured by welding to plate 28a. The flue assembly is inserted in tank I0 through a suitable opening in wall II adjacent bottom I2, the plate 28a being concentric with wall I I and of suflicient size to overlap the marginal edges of the opening in the wall. After the flue assembly is inserted, plate 280': is secured, as by welding or bolting, to wall II and the opening is thereby sealed. K

The annular space between walls I5 and '29 is divided into two sections Ma and MI) by vertical partitions 42 and 43. extends to the top of wall 23 is held in place in the channels formed by sets of vertical strips 44 and 45 secured to walls I5 and 20, respectively, and partition 43 equal in height to partition 42 is similarly held by strips 46 and 41 secured to walls 20 and I5, respectively. Partition 43a which extends across chamber I4 from the top of partitions 42 and 43 to the top of wall I5 is secured by vertical strips and 41 and is vertically movable. Preferably the partitions divide the chamber I4 into two sections of unequal size, the larger section I4a containing the major portion of wall 20. Partitions 42 and are vertically movable but when inplace extend to the bottom I6 of chamber I4. Partition 43 is preferably solid, except for an opening to ad .mit recirculation pipe 48 hereinafter described. Partition 42 is provided with a' vertical slot 49 to permit passage of melted material fromsection Mo to section I41). Reinforcing bar 50 is welded to partition 42. additional slots may be provided in partition 42 or that slot 49 may be replaced by a plurality of perforations, i. e., partition 42 may be forami- 'nated. Slot 49 should not exceed 4 in width and preferably should be about in width to insure that only substantially completely melted material will pass into chamber section I411.

Vertical fins or baffles 5I are secured to the outer side of wall 20 and the inner side of wall I5 and extend into chamber section I4a. Preferably, the fins are in staggered relationship in order that molten material flowing from partition 43 and around chamber section Ma will be forced to take a tortuous path. Preferably the fins extend almost but not completely to the bottom I6 in order that flow of material through the finned region will not be unnecessarily im- .peded.

A positive pressure pumping assembly is provided for discharging the molten material and/or recirculating it through chamber section Ida The inlet "of'the pump is provided by openings indicated. at 53 and the outlet 53a is connected to a bent dis'chargepipe 54. A tubular duct55 extends through. aligned openings in wallsflII and I5, and the pump casing extends through Partition 42 which It will be obvious that Y 5 this duct exteriorly of tank I0. Thpump shaft 56 passes through stufiing box 51 secured to tubular duct 55 by threaded head 58. A pulley 59 is fastened to the pump shaft for driving the pump.

The discharge pipe 54 is fitted with'a valve 60 in order that part or all of the material being pumped through pipe 54 may be diverted into pipe'48 which discharges into chamber section "14a.- By such diversion the molten material beingpumpedout of chamber section [4b may-be circulatedback to chamber section Ma which contains the unmelted or partially melted material, and the melting process'may be thereby expedited. Valve 60 maybe operated manually by means of handle- 6| attached to valve stem 62. Discharge pipe 54 passes to the outside of tank l through tubular duct 63. Tubular ducts '55" and 63 are welded to walls H and l-and are provided to permit ready withdrawal of the pumping and discharge assembly for cleaning and repair.

The top of the tank is provided with a movable cover 66 hinged to'a fixed cover 61. The movable cover which may be raised by handle '68 permits access to the finned chamber section Ida-to permit charging the chamber with material to be melted. Y Toavoid unnecessary loss of heat to the at- 'mosphere, insulation 10 may be applied to the outer surfaces of tank In and covers 66 and 61. Insulation may also be enclosed within a housing H for the pump-and in housing 12 for tubular duct 63 and outlet pipe 54.

The above described heating apparatus of the invention is adapted to be suitably mounted upon :a portable truck 12 as shown in Fig. 7 for con-- veniently transporting it from place to place.

A fuel tank 73 may also be mounted upon the truck, for supplying fuel to burner 39. A power unit 14, conveniently a one cylinder gasoline engine, may be provided for operating pump 52.

Operation of the pump is controlled by means of clutch lever 15, power being transmitted to the pump through pulley 16 driving pulley 59. The pump may also be operated manually by means of, crankll when the compression in the engine is released.

It will be understood that a thermostatically controlled valve (not shown) for regulating the flow'of fuel to the burner 39 may be provided for tuminous composition weighing say 10 to 20 pounds .each are charged into section Maof the ,melting' chamber, and the liquid heat-transfer mejdium-Dowtherm in'the chamber 22 is heated and vaporized by the submerged heating flue assembly 28, the temperature developed being dependent upon the pressure in the vapor chambers.

Thevapor of Dowtherm A (73.5 diphenyl- 6 pressure 'of pounds per square inch (absolute) or zero gage pressure, and .a temperature of- 520 F. at a pressure of 19.pounds per square inch (absolute) or 4 pounds gage pressure. I

As the pieces of rubberized bituminous composition become substantially melted by the action of the heat transferred through wall 15,. bottom 16 and wall (and fins, 5|) additional pieces of the composition may be charged to the chamber. As the composition melts it passes through'the slot 49 in partition 42 into chamber section I41). As the melting proceeds it is desirable to set pump 52 in operation and by'adjusting valve direct the material passing through pipe 54 into chamber' section 14a. The molten material falling upon the still solid pieces of the composition in this chamber section assists the melting process and promotes uniformity of the moltenproduct. It will be noted that as the molten material is discharged at 48 into chamber section Ma it falls adjacent partition 43 and in order to return through slot 49' it must travel. throughout the length of chamber section I ia past eachof the fins 5|, thereby aiding the melting process. By virtue of the high heat transfer coefficient of the vapors in the vapor spaces [8 and I9 and the proximity of the bulk of the material to a hot surface at all times, uniform and rapid melting of' the composition is effected without, however, at anytime exposing the composition to the danger of overheating.

When a sufiicient level of molten-material has accumulated in chamber section Mb, the valve 60 may be adjusted to permit the material to be pumped through the entire length of discharge pipe 54 to the outside of the apparatus where the material may be collected in buckets or other portable containers.

I claim; 7

1.' Apparatus for melting rubberized bituminous compositions by indirect heating means, which comprises a tank for holding the material, a-jacket on the wall of the tank, means forming a I chamber beneath the bottom of the tank adapted to contain a liquid he'at transfer medium vaporizable at low pressures to provide vapor at temperat'ur'esof from 450 to 520 F., said chambercommunicating with the jacket, heating 2 means extending into the chamber for vaporizing oxide and 26.5% diphenyl) has a temperature of" 450 F. at a pressure of 7.8 pounds per square inch (absolute) corresponding to a vacuum of 14 inches of mercury, a temperature of 500 F. at a the liquid heat transfer medium, a hollow member having an open-end in communication with thechamber and a closed end extending upwardly into the tank in spaced relationship to the inner walls of the tank, and a positive pressure discharge assembly mounted in said tank adjacent the bottom thereof.

a jacket on the wall of the tank, means forming a chamber beneath the bottom of the tank adapted to contain a liquid heat transfer medium vaporizable at low pressures to provide vapor at temperatures of from 450 to 520 F., 'said chamber communicating with the jacket, heating meansextending, into the chamber for vaporizing the liquidrhea t'transfer medium,a hollow member having an' open end in communication withthe chamber and a closed end extending upwardly into the tank in spaced relationship to the inner walls of the tank, a vertical partition dividing the tank into a charging chamber adapted to receive the material to be-melted and an accumulating chamber adapted to receive only the substantially melted material, said partition being prochamber alternately from the wall of the tank and from the wall of the upwardly hollow chamber. V 9 3. Apparatus for melting rubberized bituminou compositions by indirect heating means, which comprises a tank for holding the material, a jacket on the wall ofthe tank, means forming a chamber beneath the bottom of the tank adapted to contain'a liquid heat transfer medium vaporizable at low pressures to provide vapor at temperatures of from 450 to 520 F., said chamber communicating with the jacket, heatin means extending-into the chamber for vaporizing the liquid'heat transfer medium, a hollow member having an open end in communication with the chamber and a closed endextending upwardly intothe tank in spaced relationship to the inner waus of the tank, a vertical partition dividing the tank into a charging chamber adapted to re- 'ceive the material to be melted and an accumulating chamber adapted to receive only the substantially melted material, said partition being provided with means to permit the passage of only substantially melted material from the charging chamber, to the accumulating chamber, and a positive pressure discharge assembly mounted adjacent the bottom of the accumulating chamben 4. Apparatus for melting rubberized bituminous compositions by indirect heating means which comprises a tank for holding the material, a jacket on the wall ofthe tank, means forming a chamber beneath the bottom of the tank adapted to contain a liquid heat transfer medium vaporizable at low pressures to provide vapor at temperatures of from 450 to 520 F.,said chamber communicating with the jacket, heating means extending into the chamber for vaporizing the liquid heat transfer medium, a hollow member having an open end in communication with the chamber and a closed end extending upwardly into the tank in spaced relationship to the inner walls of the tank, a vertical partition dividing the tank into a charging chamber adapted to extending receive the material to beimelted and an accumu-l lating chamber adapted to receive only the substantially melted material, said "charging chamber having a volume greater than that of the said accumulating chamber, and said ,parti tion being provided with means to permit the culating mlten material from said accumulating chamber back to said chargingchamber. 7 h

5. Apparatus for melting rubberized bituminous compositions by indirect heating means,

which comprises a tank ,for holding the material,

, a jacket on; the of the tank, means forming a chamber beneath the bottom of the tank adapted to containaliquid heat tranjsf er mediumyaporizable atilow pressures to provide vapor file of this patent:

at temperatures of from 450 to 520 F., said chamber communicating with the jacket, heating means extending into the chamber for vaporizing the liquid heat transfer medium, a hollow member having an open end in communication with the chamber and a closed end extending upwardly into the tank in spaced relationship to the inner walls of the tank, and avertical partition dividing the tank into acharging chamber adapted to receive the material to be melted and an accumulating chamber adapted to receive only the substantially melted material, said charging chamber having a volume greater than that of the said accumulating chamber, said partition being intercepted by the upwardly extending hollow member, the portion of said partition extending at one side of said hollow member being provided with means to permit the passage of substantially melted material from the charging chamber to the accumulating chamber, a positive, pressure adjacent the bottom of the accumulating chamber, and means for intermittently recirculating molten material from said accumulating cham her back to said charging chamber.

6. Apparatus for melting rubberized bituminous compositions by indirect heating means, which comprises a tankfor holding the material, a jacket on the wall of the tank, means forming a chamber beneath the bottom of the tank adapted to contain a liquid heat transfer medium vaporizable at 10Wv pressures to provide vapor at temperatures of from 450, to 520 F., .said chamber communicating with the jacket, heating means extending into the chamber for vaporizing the liquid heat transfer medium, a hollow mem ber having an open end in communication with the chamber and a closed end extending upwardly into the tank in spaced relationship to the inner walls of the tank, and spaced vertical fins extending into said tank alternately from the wall thereof and from the wall .of the upwardly extending hollow member. 3 V

- ARTHUR M. ROOT, JR.

Ittrimaranons CITED p The following references are of record in the :un'rrnn sTA'I'fES time Number N am e ,;v V -Date.

331,446 Richmond Dec. 1,-1.885 ;382,595 -,Egerton -1 May v8, 1888 470,562 ,Grodhaus Mar. 8,1892 500,612 Read etv al.. July 4,1393 1,197,745 Kinney se t. 12,- 1916 ,466,637 Babb ,,Aug'. 28, 1923 1,527,771 ,Baer et a1. l Feb. 24,1925 1,541,349 Reynold 11 June 16., 1925 2,076,689 Williams Apr. 13, 1937 2,360,665 Fjields Oct. 17, 1944 2,429,916 Belgau l Oct. 23, 1947 2,439,367 ;M-iddlestadt ,f ,Apr. 6,1948 VFQR-EJZGN PATENTS) Number country 7 Date 645536 ,Franee June 27, 1923 700,805

discharge assembly mounted 

1. APPARATUS FOR MELTING RUBBERIZED BITUMINOUS COMPOSITIONS BY INDIRECT HEATING MEANS, WHICH COMPRISES A TANK FOR HOLDING THE MATERIAL, A JACKET ON THE WALL OF THE TANK, MEAMS FORMING A CHAMBER BENEATH THE BOTTOM OF THE TANK ADAPTED TO CONTAIN A LIQUID HEAT TRANSFER MEDIUM VAPORIZABLE AT LOW PRESSURES TO PROVIDE VAPOR AT TEMPERATURES OF FROM 450 TO 520*F., SAID CHAMBER COMMUNICATING WITH THE JACKET, HEATING MEANS EXTENDING INTO THE CHAMBER FOR VAPORIZING THE LIQUID HEAT TRANSFER MEDIUM, A HOLLOW MEMBER HAVING AN OPEN END IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE CHAMBER AND A CLOSED END EXTENDING UPWARDLY INTO THE TANK IN SPACED RELATIONSHIP TO THE INNER WALLS OF THE TANK, AND A POSITIVE PRESSURE DISCHARGE ASSEMBLY MOUNTED IN SAID TANK ADJACENT THE BOTTOM THEREOF. 